Gravity Page #4

She turns and reaches out to grab it, but she is strapped to the

Robotic Arm.

The bolt spins out into the emptiness of space when-

A hand GRABS it before it has gone too far. It is Matt’s.

Ryan looks at him, embarrassed.

RYAN (CONT’D)

Thanks. Sorry. In my basement lab

things usually fall to the floor.

Matt puts the bolt away. He begins to unscrew another bolt.

MATT:

Hey -- you’re the genius up here. I

just drive this bus.

RYAN:

Call me a genius if I can get this

board initialized in the next hour.

MISSION CONTROL:

Explorer, this is Houston.

EXPLORER CAP:

Go ahead Houston.

MISSION CONTROL:

NORAD reports a satellite has incurred

a missile strike. The impact has

created a cloud of debris orbiting at

20,000 miles per hour. Current debris

orbit does not overlap with your

trajectory. We'll keep you posted on

any developments.

Ryan glances at Matt.

RYAN:

Should we be worried?

MATT:

Let the boys down there worry for us.

RYAN:

Explorer, engage arm and pivot to

cargo bay.

EXPLORER CAP:

(on radio)

Standby for arm maneuver.

The robotic arm moves very slowly, pulling Ryan along while Matt

begins to unharness from the telescope to shift his position.

MATT:

So doc, now that you work for NASA,

how do you like it?

SHARIFF:

Kinda like winning the lottery, isn’t

it?

She grins at the memory, glances at him. Confesses:

RYAN:

I was just happy that they didn’t cut

the funding to my research.

MATT:

How long was your training?

RYAN:

Six months.

SHARIFF:

Including holidays?

MATT:

So, what is this scanning system?

SHARIFF:

Nothing rad, it’s just a new set of

eyes to scan the universe.

RYAN:

Assuming it works, it’s just for

hospital use. This one is a prototype.

EXPLORER CAP:

Standby for marking.

MATT:

Listen, they don't bankroll

prototypes, even for your pretty blue

eyes.

She gives him a look.

RYAN:

My eyes are brown.

Matt stares at her, a faint smile on his face.

MATT:

Right now your eyes are blood shut.

She grins, looks away -- he got her. Then...

SHARIFF:

Kowalsky!

Matt turns. Shariff raises his arms again.

SHARIFF (CONT’D)

Is this great or what?!

Shariff JUMPS and FLOATS AWAY from the Shuttle, screaming and

flapping his arms. A long SAFETY TETHER attached to his waist

tenses and-

Brings Shariff to an ABRUPT STOP, snapping him back like a

bungee cord.

MATT:

(for Ryan’s benefit)

And to think he went to Harvard.

Ryan doesn’t react to this, too consumed as she is with the

panel. Matt looks out. A sad smile is on his face.

MATT (CONT’D)

You gotta admit one thing. You can’t

beat the view....

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